Courage and Compassion: Remembering Raoul Wallenberg 2026
The annual commemoration of the birth of Raoul Wallenberg took place on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at the site of the memorial sculpture, Courage and Compassion: Remembering Raoul Wallenberg, at Smith Field Park in Parsippany-Troy Hills. The program, co-sponsored by the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills and Adath Shalom Synagogue, commemorates the humanitarian message of Raoul Wallenberg who became a literal lifeline for up to 100,000 Hungarian Jewish citizens that his efforts saved from almost certain death at the hands of the Nazis at the Auschwitz and Treblinka Concentration Camps as World War II was winding down.
Just as the program was about to begin, the skies opened up with a tremendous cloudburst. Luckily the deluge was over quickly and no one in the audience left their seats, a point noted by many of the speakers who thanked us all for staying. Notably, throughout the program, the speakers found a way to describe Raoul Wallenberg and his actions from many different perspectives. Every speech was meant to motivate the attendees to take positive action in life. We heard the story of Raoul Wallenberg, his courageous acts that enabled him to rescue so many people, and his mysterious disappearance at the age of 32 not long before the war ended. Although there were many rumors and reports of sightings through the years, this mystery remains unsolved to this day.
The program opened with welcome remarks from Meyer Rosenthal, Chair of the Adath Shalom Holocaust Education Committee. Mr. Rosenthal is also the Chair Emeritus of the Morris County Human Relations Commission (MCHRC) which was well represented at the event. Len Deo, Deacon of St. Ann’s RC Church in Parsippany-Troy Hills, followed with the Invocation.
Inger Hanright, VASA Order of America, NJ District Master #6, talked about Raoul Wallenberg’s living legacy in Sweden including the Raoul Wallenberg Academy that, with his leadership as inspiration, strengthens youth to stand up for human rights and act with civil courage, and Raoul Wallenberg Day, Sweden’s national day for humanity and civil courage. We were also greeted by Rev. Mary Anne (Psomi) Psomaf-Jacklofki of St. Andrew Lutheran Church and Chair of the Parsippany Interfaith Council, who praised us for being here.
The next speaker, Pulkit Desai, Mayor of Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, welcomed us and read the Township’s Proclamation proclaiming August 2, 2026 to be Raoul Wallenberg Day. The mayor said the question is not about what Raoul Wallenberg did, but what would we do. Ask yourself what is the right thing to do and then have the courage to do it.
Following Mayor Desai, Cantor Avima Darnov, Adath Shalom Synagogue, sang Eli Eli, a song written by Hannah Senesh HY"D, poet, hero, and freedom fighter who left the safety of her home in Israel to parachute into Europe to save other Jews from the Holocaust. She was captured, tortured, and martyred at the age of 23.
County Commissioner, Tayfun Selen, talked about how history remains important, as is this event. He stated that the lesson of history is recognizing anti-Semitism and confronting it. Having the courage to stand with people who are being persecuted.
Meyer Rosenthal then introduced Dr. Edward M. Adams, creator of the sculpture, as a “Jersey Guy.” Dr. Adams told us that Raoul Wallenberg embodied the universal quality of humanity. We gather not only to honor him but to reflect on the qualities of Courage and Compassion -- to reduce suffering. We are living in times that need these qualities, maybe more than when the sculpture was first dedicated.
Rabbi Moshe Rudin, Temple Adath Shalom and Chair of the MCHRC, spoke about standing up for the “other” and, in the face of the anti-Semitism that exists today, that now is the time for this. Part of this program is the awarding of Raoul Wallenberg Scholarships to two deserving high school students. Rabbi praised the award winners and called for the expansion of the scholarship program.
The two scholarship winners followed. Both are students at Parsippany Hills High School. Claudia Duszkiewiecz was thankful and grateful for the award. Kindness toward others, even as simple as a smile, can affect the lives of others. Isabella Klich thanked the Wallenberg Scholarship program for recognizing young people. She said that one person’s actions can have a lasting effect. Leadership isn’t about a title, it is about helping others. We must choose kindness.
After the award ceremony the memorial prayer “Eil Maleh Rachamin” was recited by Cantor Bruce Ruben, Temple Beth Am, who then gave the Benediction.
As part of the closing ceremony eleven people were invited to place a yellow rose at the bottom of the sculpture, each rose representing one million of the eleven million murdered during the Holocaust. It was a fitting ending to a wonderful and inspiring program.